Directional signal



July 17, 1951 J. 'r. DOOLEY DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 25, 1947 INVENTOR,

ATTORNEY.

July 17, 1951 J; T. DOOLEY DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25-, .1947

. INVENTOR, M4 k nw ATTURNEX Patented July 17, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL John T. Dooley, Bufialo, N. Y.

Application April 25, 1947, Serial No. 743,911

This invention relates generally to trafiic control signals but more particularly to certain new and useful improvements in directional and approach signals.

It has for one of its objects to provide a signal of this character which is so designed and constructed as to be mounted on motor and like vehicles to indicate a directional movement of the vehicle, or which can be located at railroad and like crossings or intersections to indicate an approaching train as well as the direction from .which it is approaching the crossing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a directional signal which will effectually and prominently indicate direction by a traveling illuminated beam of light movable in a horizontal plane from one side of the signal casing to the other.

Other features of theinvention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front view of my improved signal, mounted on a motor vehicle. Figure l is a similar view showing the signal mounted at a railroad crossing. Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the signal. Figure 3 is a vertical section thereof taken on line 3-3, Figure 2.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

By way of example, I have shown in Figure 1 my improved signal, indicated generally by the numeral ID, as applied to the rear end of a motor vehicle II for indicating to following cars the direction in which the driver of the vehicle may be proposing to turn, and also as mounted on a pole or standard l2 at a railroad or like crossing for indicating the direction from which a train is approaching the crossing.

In its preferred construction, the signal comprises a cylindrical casing or housing I3 adapted to be mounted with the axis thereof disposed horizontally and having an extension or compartment M at its upper end for receiving an electric motor l5 and the switching controls thereof for operatively governing the operation thereof. This motor is disposed vertically in the casing-compartment and its shaft is extends toward the center of the casing and at its inner end has a bevel gear I! thereon which meshes with a like gear l8 fixed on a driven shaft 19 located axially and transversely of the casing and journaled at its ends in the side walls of the casing. The side wall 20 is in the form of a 3 Claims. (Cl. 177-327) cover detachably retained in place by screws 2|. Fitted in one or both side walls of the casing are windows 22 through which the directional signals are viewed and which are of bar-like or narrow substantially rectangular shape and are disposed in a horizontal plane in chordal fashion between the center of the casing and the periphery thereof, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Where the signal is applied to a motor or like vehicle, it will be understood that such windows are only applied to the exposed side of the casing, whereas for railroad crossing use they are applied to both sides of the casing to view the directional signal from opposite sides of the crossing.

Mounted on one or both ends of the driven shaft l9 adjacent the corresponding inner face of the casing is a revolving shutter or mask 23 in the form of a disk which is provided with a substantially radially-disposed slot or aperture 24 for intersecting registering relation with the companion window 22 as the disk is rotated. An electric lamp 25, preferably in the form of a neon tube of red color is mounted horizontally in the signal casing directly in line with each of the windows 22 thereof, so that as the shutter is revolved and its aperture registers with a companion window, a beam or bar of light is projected through and traverses from one end of the window to the other and correspondingly signals the direction of the turn of the vehicle or the direction from which a train may be approaching a crossing.

In practice, when it is desired, say to indicate a righ turn, the motor 15 is started to rotate the shutter 23 in a clockwise direction and simultaneously therewith the circuit of the upper lamp 25, shown in Figures 2 and 3, is closed with the result that a bar of red light travels across the companion upper window 22 from left to right, and after a slight pause, during which time the shutter-aperture 24 is traveling idly through the lower portion of the casing and out of sight, the signaling cycle is continued and thereby effectually indicates to the following motorists the intention of the driver as to the direction he proposes to turn. For indicating a left turn, the circuit of the lower lamp 25 is closed. In a double-faced signal, employing two shutters and companion associated signaling elements, the same effect is produced at both sides of the signal. Where used at a railroad crossing, the direction of the light bar across the signal-casing would indicate the direction from which the train was approaching.

By connecting the signal to light both upper and lower lamps 25, which would simultaneously produce a light traveling in one direction across the upper window and a light traveling in the opposite direction across the lower window, this could signal or serve to indicate that the driver of the vehicle is proposing to stop.

I claim as my invention:

1. A signal of the character described, comprising a casing having a window of substantially narrow dimensions. extending from one side of the casing to the other, a lamp in said casing and in alining registration with the window from one end thereof to the other, and a revolving diskof the shutter to produce a bar-like beam of light traversing the window from one end thereof to the other.

3. A signal of the character described, comprising a cylindrical casing with the axis thereof disposed horizontally and having a window in a face thereof above and below such axis, each window being of narrow form and extending horizontally from one side of the casing to the other, independent lamps in: said casing in parallel coextensiverelation tothe respective windows, and a revolvable shutter journaled in said casing about the axis thereof and arranged between its like shutter in said casing between the Window 7 to produce a beam of light traveling in astraight. horizontal plane from one end of the window to the other.

2. A signal of the character described, comprising a cylindrical casing with the axisthereot disposed horizontally and haying a narrow window in its front face at one side of said axis: and extending horizontally in. chordal. fashion from one side of the casing to the other, illuminating means in said casing in parallel coextensive relation to said window... andav revolving apertured disk-like shutter journaled in said. casing. about the axis thereof and arranged between its: face and. said illuminating means, the aperture insaid. shutter being disposed radially thereof for. intersecting, said window during a portion of rotation facev and said lamps, said shutter having a radial aperture therein for registering relation with said windows: at predetermined times during the r0- tation thereof to produce a bar-like beam of light traversing one window in one direction and the: companion window in the opposite direction.

JOHN T. DOOLEY.

REFERENCES. CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

